FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 26, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

 

TWO CATHOLIC ACADEMY PRINCIPALS  OF THE DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN

EARN STATEWIDE RECOGNITION

The Office of the Superintendent of Catholic School Support Services for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is recognizing two of their academy principals, recently honored with the 2019 “Lighting the Fire for Catholic Education Award” by the Catholic School Administrators Association of New York State.

 

Principals Margaret Tyndall of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy in Sunset Park and Joann Heppt of Resurrection Ascension Catholic Academy in Rego Park received their awards at an event in Albany earlier this month.

 

“Mrs. Heppt is a faith-filled educator who fosters a strong Catholic Identity. The children and their physical and emotional well-being have always been a priority to her. Mrs. Heppt works tirelessly to bring programs to enhance student learning experiences to the school,” said Superintendent Dr. Thomas Chadzutko.

 

“We are delighted that Mrs. Tyndall has been recognized in this way. Her commitment to Catholic education and to the development of our children has long been recognized by the parents, teachers, pastors and board members of OLPH Catholic Academy. We are grateful for her leadership, for the gifted faculty that are her colleagues, and for the vibrant and caring school community that they continue to nurture in Sunset Park,” said Ralph Nofi, Chair of the Board of Directors of OLPH Catholic Academy.

 

The “Lighting the Fire for Catholic Education Award” recognizes Catholic school leaders who display a commitment to excellence through curriculum programs designed to meet the spiritual, academic and social-emotional needs of all students and teachers. The nominations of both Mrs. Tyndall and Mrs. Heppt also detailed specific information about the outstanding leadership and the contributions each Principal has made to the students, faculty and their entire Catholic educational communities.

Photos attached.

#1- Margaret Tyndall of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy and Joann Heppt of Resurrection Ascension Catholic Academy, center, joined by their husbands and staff from the Office of the Superintendent~Catholic School Support Service at the CSAANY conference.

#2- Joann Heppt of Resurrection Ascension Catholic Academy and Margaret Tyndall of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy display their honors.

#3- Margaret Tyndall of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy along with her husband, Reynell, at the conference held in Albany.

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 20, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

 

ST. FRANCIS PREPARATORY SCHOOL HONORED FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT OF FELLOW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

            The Diocese of Brooklyn is announcing special honors were bestowed upon St. Francis Preparatory School at the recent World Mission Sunday celebration, recognizing their support of, and contributions to a secondary school over 7,300 miles away in Kenya.

 

As part of Saint Francis Preparatory School’s continued support for international charities, the school was able to send a donation in the amount of $22,700 to the Franciscan Brothers of Galway. The funds were raised during the student body’s 2019 Lenten collection, with additional donations from parents and alumni. The Franciscan Brothers of Galway transferred the donation to their twin school, Saint Francis Secondary School in Lare, Kenya.

 

The funds have been used to provide tuition assistance, nutritional aid, construction of paved campus walkways, and the construction of a new basketball court. Additionally, two members of the St. Francis Prep alumni community, Dr. Joseph Pantaleo, ’03, and Dr. Kamica Lewis, ’99, coordinated teams of health professionals to provide dental and medical care for the Lare community for the third year in a row.

 

“As a Franciscan school, we do our best to remember our call to work in solidarity with our global brothers and sisters. I am so very proud of the contributions of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni who humbly walk with our Franciscan brothers and sisters in Kenya and live out the Gospel message every day,” said Patrick McLaughlin, Principal of St. Francis Preparatory School.

 

St. Francis Preparatory School is located at 6100 Francis Lewis Boulevard in the Fresh Meadows section of Queens. The attached photos are of the new basketball court and the recently paved walkways.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 15, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
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jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

***MEDIA ADVISORY***

The below press announcement is being sent on behalf of the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn & Queens regarding a fundraiser scheduled for tomorrow night, November 16, benefitting senior priests of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

The Lawler Foundation is named for Kathie and her son Christopher, who were tragically killed on November 12, 2001, when Flight #587 fell from the sky onto their Belle Harbor home.

12^TH ANNUAL KATHIE AND CHRISTOPHER LAWLER FOUNDATION
DINNER DANCE
Benefitting Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens
Date/Time: Saturday, November 16, 2019
Mass at 5:00 pm, Dinner at 6:00 pm
Location: Immaculate Conception Center
7200 Douglaston Pkwy, Little Neck, N.Y. 11362

The goal of the Lawler Foundation is to supplement and enhance the Diocese’s existing programs that assist senior priests as they move into the next chapter of their lives.

 

Each year, the Foundation holds an annual dinner dance to honor these senior priests by raising much needed and appreciated funds. This year, we will be honoring Msgr. John Casey and Fr. Joseph M. Nolan (posthumously).

Members of the media are encouraged to attend. To RSVP, please respond to John Quaglione at jquaglione@desalesmedia.org or (718) 517-3112.

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 13, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org 

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has shared this letter with the faithful of the
Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens

=================

Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Lord:

 

Today, the Associated Press has published a story accusing me of sexual abuse in the 1970s, while I was a priest at St. Nicholas Parish in Jersey City.

 

This was my statement to the AP reporter: “I am just learning about this allegation. In my nearly 50-year ministry as a priest, I have never engaged in unlawful or inappropriate behavior and I categorically deny this allegation. I am confident I will be fully vindicated.”

 

There will be a legal process now and I will vigorously defend myself against this false allegation. I am confident I will be fully exonerated.

 

Sexual abuse is a despicable crime and since arriving at the diocese in 2003, I have worked and will continue to work tirelessly to purge sexual abuse from our diocese in Brooklyn and Queens. The Diocese of Brooklyn has created safe environments through sexual abuse awareness training for all children and adults who work with them. We conduct ongoing background checks on all who work with children. We have created a Victim Assistance Ministry that provides independent counseling and therapy to victim-survivors and provides numerous supports to help them with the healing process. Our Mass of Hope and Healing continues to be celebrated yearly so that as a diocese we can pray together and stand in solidarity with victim-survivors and all those impacted by sexual abuse in our Church as they seek to heal.

 

The coming days may become challenging for us as a diocese as I work to defend myself from this false allegation. During this difficult time, I will pray for our diocese and ask for you to remember me in your prayers.

 

Sincerely in Christ,

 

Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Ph.D., D.D.

===========================
A copy of the letter is attached.

Letter to faithful

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 5, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
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John Quaglione 
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jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

SACRED HEART CATHOLIC ACADEMY STUDENTS SALUTE LOCAL VETERANS

 

The students of Sacred Heart Catholic Academy of Bayside yesterday hosted a Veterans Day Appreciation Breakfast for veterans and present military heroes, and their families, in the school cafeteria.

 

The students gave thanks to those in attendance for the personal sacrifices they have made for our country. Students of the 2^nd and 6^th Grade offered musical and poetic performances as part of the tribute. Active duty service personnel from Fort Totten were also in attendance.

 

Photos attached, courtesy of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 4, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

 

BROOKLYN CATHOLIC CHURCH  VANDAL ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME

            The Diocese of Brooklyn is announcing the parish of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Williamsburg was vandalized this past weekend and the NYPD’s 94^th Precinct has made an arrest in the case. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office has since charged the individual with a hate crime.

 

In the early morning hours of Sunday, November 3, 2019, three men were caught on camera walking past the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Rectory located at 275 N. 8^th Street in Brooklyn. The video captures one of the men pulling plants from the garden, throwing them at the rectory door and screaming into the camera. The two other men did not participate in the vandalism.

 

The individual continues in a rage to knock down a statue of St. Jude, drag it into the middle of the street, repeatedly kick and leave it in the roadway.  The video shows cars driving around the statue until one driver finally stops, picks it up and places it back on church property.  The damaged statue is valued at approximately $5000.

 

“This exhibition of violence, anger, and hatred is very disturbing. This is definitely an attack on the Catholic Church,” said Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, Pastor of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

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